Filling in my literary gaps
I'm sure you can't help but notice that tremendously long list over to the right. (Come back next week when you're done reading it!) I was recently asked what authors influenced me...and discovered that was quite a difficult question, the answer to which could likely fill a book. So one side of my blog isn't too bad when you think about it! (The sad thing is, as I type I'm thinking of authors I forgot...)
Influenced by that question and other factors, I have realized that while I may be fairly well-read for the average housewife, I have gaping, gaping holes in the literary fabric of my background.
Confession #1: I have never read the Little House books.
Confession #2: I have never fulfilled my seventh grade promise to myself to read every Newbery winner.
Confession #3: I have lots of author-gaps, too. For example, I loved The Westing Game, but never read any other of the author's books. Same with The Scarlet Pimpernel, and so many others.
So...I intend to right past wrongs.
Beginning with Little House. :) I've begun reading Little House in the Big Woods to my daughter, and have been so struck by Laura Ingalls Wilder's command of the English language, her solid grasp on what interests children, and her plain intuition for what words to use to convey that. (Another confession: at least in this book, I have yet to figure out what the plot is. Or conflict really, other than: don't die out in those big woods. But it is quite the writer who can keep me reading despite that.)
On my own shelf is The Witch of Blackbird Pond, a start at filling in those Newberys. It is really beyond pathetic that I have not read it, because 1) It's historical fiction, my genre of choice; 2) It is set in Connecticut, where I live, and written by a CT author; and 3) I can't tell you how many people have recommended it to me, and I still never managed to start it until now.
I always love a new reading challenge, so this one to myself to fill those gaps has me quite excited. Do you have any recommendations? What books should I absolutely read to make my life complete? ;)
Influenced by that question and other factors, I have realized that while I may be fairly well-read for the average housewife, I have gaping, gaping holes in the literary fabric of my background.Confession #1: I have never read the Little House books.
Confession #2: I have never fulfilled my seventh grade promise to myself to read every Newbery winner.
Confession #3: I have lots of author-gaps, too. For example, I loved The Westing Game, but never read any other of the author's books. Same with The Scarlet Pimpernel, and so many others.
So...I intend to right past wrongs.
Beginning with Little House. :) I've begun reading Little House in the Big Woods to my daughter, and have been so struck by Laura Ingalls Wilder's command of the English language, her solid grasp on what interests children, and her plain intuition for what words to use to convey that. (Another confession: at least in this book, I have yet to figure out what the plot is. Or conflict really, other than: don't die out in those big woods. But it is quite the writer who can keep me reading despite that.)
On my own shelf is The Witch of Blackbird Pond, a start at filling in those Newberys. It is really beyond pathetic that I have not read it, because 1) It's historical fiction, my genre of choice; 2) It is set in Connecticut, where I live, and written by a CT author; and 3) I can't tell you how many people have recommended it to me, and I still never managed to start it until now.I always love a new reading challenge, so this one to myself to fill those gaps has me quite excited. Do you have any recommendations? What books should I absolutely read to make my life complete? ;)
A book I read in one of my writing classes that I absolutely loved was, WHAT JAMIE SAW. Such great writing and showing of character. And, what Jamie saw or how he interprets what he saw, regarding the adults around him, is what changes from the beginning to the end of his story.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel. So many books - so little time. My physical to-read pile is huge, and my mental one is even longer. I want to go back to the classics I've missed, but so much good new stuff keeps coming out.
ReplyDeletePaula, thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely look it up!
ReplyDeleteTheresa, I know what you mean! There are so many good old books, so many good new ones. I need another 12 hours in the day!
Hello Faith, I came across your site from bloghopping :) I'm glad I found it...I'm now following you. I thought I've already read A LOT until now! I didn't now the Little House books either and I thought I was well-read. There's also a lot of books that I'd like to read but haven't - very little time. I have read two books in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. I also read two Jodi Picoult's books. Still have a big pile by my bedside table to read! :)
ReplyDeleteI love the Little House books. I guess that because they are autobiographical they don't necessarily need to comply with the rules of fiction.
ReplyDeleteLen--Welcome and thanks for following!
ReplyDeleteAl--I think you're right about the autobiographical bit...although the Little House books would be compelling even if they were pure fiction, I guess. It's quite a lesson to me in the rhythm of language and the intrinsic interests that kids have. I wish more boys would read them, though...because something of the survival/man vs. nature plot line is so perfect for boys of a certain age.
Oh, I loved THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND when I was younger. I haven't read it in years; thanks for reminding me about it!
ReplyDeleteAs for Newberry-acknowledged books, the most recent one I read was this absolutely beautiful and eerie book called THE MOORCHILD by Eloise McGraw. It's about a changeling growing up in the place of the human baby she was switched with. One of the most amazing middle grade novels I've read in a long time!
Faith,
ReplyDeleteThe Witch of Blackbird Pond is an amazing book - I think you'll really enjoy it. As for reading gaps, I take a quality over quantity approach. And I don't just mean the quality of the book, I mean the quality of the reading. I believe that as a writer (which is to say, a reader), we have as much to gain from reading a single book attentively and with time allowed for rereading and study as we do from reading more expansively but at a quicker pace.
Maybe it's just that I'm conscious of my own reading gaps, but I believe that being 'well read' is not always the same as 'reading well'. Although frankly, you seem to place high in both categories. :)